Alf Bentley (footballer, born 1931)

Alfred Bentley (28 October 1931 – 15 October 1996) was an English professional association football goalkeeper.

Alf Bentley
Personal information
Full name Alfred Bentley
Date of birth (1931-10-28)28 October 1931
Date of death 15 October 1996(1996-10-15) (aged 64)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Snowdown Colliery Welfare
1955–1958 Coventry City
1958 Margate
1958–1962 Gillingham
1962–1963 Tunbridge Wells
1963–1966 Hastings United
1966–1967 Snowdown Colliery Welfare
Managerial career
1970–1975 Canterbury City
1975–1976 Ramsgate
1976–1980 Dover
1980–1984 Folkestone
1983–1985 Canterbury City
1987–1988 Canterbury City (caretaker)
1990 Folkestone
1991–1992 Canterbury City
1992–1993 Snowdown Colliery Welfare
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

He started his career with Snowdown Colliery Welfare before moving into the Football League with Coventry City in 1955–56. After a spell with Margate he returned to league football in 1958 with Gillingham, making 42 appearances in the Football League. In 1962 he joined Tunbridge Wells United before going on to Hastings United, finishing his playing career back at Snowdown in the 1966–67 season.[1]

Management career

After retiring from playing Bentley had managerial spells with Canterbury City (1970–1975), Ramsgate (1975–76), Dover (1976–1980) and Folkestone (1980–1984). Bentley then returned to Canterbury City as manager-director towards the end of the 1983–84 season, he remained there until the end of the 1984–85 season before being replaced by Carl Gilbert.

During the 1987–88 season he had another spell at Canterbury City as caretaker manager. He then went back to Folkestone as manager in the summer of 1990, before resigning at the end of September 1990.

Bentley returned to Canterbury City for the start of the 1991–92 season, although he was sacked in January 1992.

He returned to his old club, Snowdown Colliery Welfare, for the start of the 1992–93 season. He was part of a three-man management team, working with Roy Hare and Alan Jones. He would become Snowdown Colliery Welfare's chairman for the 1993–94 season.

Personal life

Bentley ran the Red Lion public house in Dover from 1982 to 1987 and again during 1992. He sadly died in 1996, shortly before his 65th birthday.

References
  1. Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. 57–58. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.


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